YOGYAKARTA (Indonesia), March 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Torrential rains that have hit Yogyakarta over the past few days have resulted in flooding and landslides in several locations, taking the lives of at least five individuals with one person still missing.
The local Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) revealed that Imogiri district in Bantul regency was the worst affected area.
At least two houses on a hillside in Kedung Buweng village in Imogiri were destroyed by landslides, killing three inhabitants, namely Trisno Atmojo, 89, Eko Supadmi, 50, and Rufi Kusuma Putri, 9.
“We have found the body of Trisno. We are now escalating our efforts to find the other two victims,” BPDD Bantul head Dwi Daryanto said at the site Monday.
A Kedung Buweng resident, Widodo, said the landslides occurred on Sunday night at around 9 p.m. during a heavy downpour.
The BPBD Yogyakarta noted that another Imogiri resident named Sudiatmoko, 80, and an unidentified resident of Bantul regency had also died in a landslide.
Painem, 70, who lived in Karang Tengah village of Imogiri reportedly died after her body temperature dropped drastically when she became trapped in a house.
The recent torrential rains in Yogyakarta were caused by Tropical Cyclone Savannah in the Indian Ocean, said the BPBD Yogyakarta. The rain caused flooding in four districts in Kulon Progo regency, nine districts in Gunung Kidul regency and 14 districts in Bantul regency.
Bantul Regent Suharsono said he had distributed aid to the affected areas and would declare an emergency response period for the next seven days. — NNN-AGENCIES
